Will Greenwood thinks Martin Johnson could find it hard to take the captaincy away from Lewis Moody © Getty Images

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Will Greenwood says that Martin Johnson could find it hard to take the England captaincy off Lewis Moody if the Bath-bound forward impresses in the role during the forthcoming tour Down Under.

England depart for Australia on Monday ahead of a five-match tour that act as a litmus test for Johnson's side ahead of next year's World Cup.

Johnson's team will play two Tests against Australia and two games against the Australian Barbarians before rounding off their schedule with a match against the New Zealand Maori in Napier.

Moody, who captained England in their final Six Nations fixture against France, will lead the team in the absence of Steve Borthwick, who is being given time off to recover from a knee injury.

And Greenwood believes Moody will lead the side well this summer, potentially leaving leaving Borthwick's position in the team in doubt.

"Steve really fronted up in the last couple of games he was involved with for England but if Moody does well then Johnson will have to ask himself whether he can drop Lewis as captain," said Greenwood. "If they go to Australia and win a couple of games then Steve Borthwick has to win his place back in the team. Johnson wouldn't want it any other way.

"I think Moody will be brilliant. Win lose or draw, he'll be a fantastic leader of that team," he continued. He leads by example. He'll win the first kick-off. He will chase the ball just like the 18-year-old skinny as a rake boy I first met when I was at Leicester Tigers.

"He's the bravest man I know on a rugby field. If you want people to go to Australia and dig deep, stick together and overcome the odds, then you need someone like Lewis Moody at the front."

Greenwood, who was a part of the World Cup winning team, thinks the current England manager must invoke the spirit of the 2003 team if his side are to shock a Wallabies side who he considers to be among the best in the world.

"At the moment I wouldn't want to play against them. They are not the biggest lads but they have so much skill and the Australian backline is without a doubt the most lethal backline out there at the moment. It is going to be hugely tough. But the boys shouldn't be shrinking violets.

"In 2003, in the team meetings he (Johnson) would say 'I don't care who they have got. We're just going to turn them over'."

"To be in a changing room with guys that never ever felt they would lose was something I will treasure and it rubbed off on those that maybe lacked a little skill but benefited from the mind set. That's what he has to do this time around."

Greenwood believes that the tour will be an important stepping stone for the team ahead of next year's World Cup in New Zealand.

"They will play the Australian Barbarians and the New Zealand Maori as well, so everyone will get a game and it will tell Johnson a lot about the skills and character of the squad."